What Could Have Been
by princessbinas
Summary: Toga survived both the battle with the dragon demon Ryukotsusei and the battle for his wife and son's lives. Now he has to survive the other hurdles that are to come with having a human wife and a half demon son. Please review.
1. Chapter 1: The Aftermath

**Binas**: I know I said that I was working on two fanfics. Well, those two became three, and this is the third one. This one had become a big itch to tell.

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_Winter of 1296..._

The flames in the distance engulfed and devoured the mansion that had belonged to Takemaru of Setsuna, her jealous and lustful captor. Izayoi could not help but feel pity for the samurai who burnt down his own lavish dwellings just to rid the world of her, her son, and the love of her life. She yearned for her husband's safety and prayed that he would make it. His injuries were of a great magnitude from what she had seen. His desire to protect the beginnings of his new family were what made it possible for him to even stand, let alone fight.

Her baby, Inuyasha, wailed at the top of his lungs. She drew him in closer to comfort him. The poor silver-haired babe had been put into a state of distress by the events that had occurred during his birth. Izayoi was ever so thankful that the times as an infant were to be forgotten by all but those who were of age to remember. She would never want Inuyasha to remember this tragic night. It was too painful. There was so much chaos, destruction, and blood from both sides.

Izayoi felt tears slip from her eyes as the sound of the walls and roofing of the large, regal home collapsing into the ground reached her ears. Her fears of her beloved being killed by the wreckage and flames became more and more overpowering. She bowed her head as her knees became weak. She fell onto the ground, still holding Inuyasha to her chest. Her tears became full-blown sobs as her newborn took the opportunity to feed on some milk from her bosom, not knowing any better as he was only just born moments ago. Regardless of bad timing, Izayoi did not disturb her son's feeding. He could not help it.

From behind, a firm, but gentle, hand grasped her shoulder. Izayoi turned her head and gasped. Her husband, Toga, had survived and made it out of the flames, defying her shattered hope. He was heavily battered and bruised and decorated with bleeding wounds and, surprisingly minor, burns. He gave a weak smile that barely flashed his pearly white fangs. Fangs that he would use to tenderly and gently nibble on her earlobes out of affection. Before she could even hug him, Toga fell over, unconsciousness overtaking him but, thankfully, leaving him just barely alive. As he fell, two of his three swords came off his being. The swords that came off were Sounga and Tensaiga. Given the situation, no one paid mind to the swords that fell to the ground. Izayoi shouted Toga's name just as the bright, full moon reached its zenith in the smoke-filled, winter night sky.

Izayoi looked all around her for anything or anyone who could help her husband. What her eyes landed on was a lone horse and a cart. Seeing as the horse's rider was no longer alive, Izayoi quickly used the Robe of Fire Rat as a carry wrap to place Inuyasha in on her back. Next, she grabbed hold of Toga's right arm and began pulling with all of her strength. Centimeter by centimeter, Toga's body slowly moved behind her as she dragged him to the cart. With great difficulty, Izayoi managed to load her husband onto the cart. Once her husband was securely loaded onto the cart, Izayoi climbed up onto the horse and fixed Inuyasha so that he was in front of her instead of on her back. With that, Izayoi began to ride the horse towards the nearest village she knew of, hoping that her father would take them in and shelter them from the freezing winter winds.

* * *

The sun began to rise over a lush and flourishing aristocratic castle town, Kokama. It was close to the largest town in the land, Kamakura, which was located in the Sagami province. Proudly, the castle that sat in the middle of the town as the last few remnants of the autumn season flew by in the wind. A leaf or two bumped against the walls of the castle.

The sliding door opened to reveal the middle-aged lord of the town, Suguru. His long, straight and well-behaved, black hair flowed down to the bottom of his shoulder blades. The irises of his eyes were a dark violet in color and twinkled in a way to convey a sense of calmness. He was adorned in a highly ornate blue haori with intricate pale-red designs. His dark blue hakama were loosely flowing thanks to the lack of any string at the very bottom, making the leg parts flare out in the wind like fine cloth on a clothesline.

He looked towards the rising sun, taking in the calming view. The fluffy pink clouds cradled the ball of life-giving light as the sky bled from a blue-violet into bright oranges, pinks, and light feminine-blues.

Towards the front gate of the castle town's walls, the feudal lord saw a gathering of villagers from upon the hill top his castle stood upon. He squinted his eyes, trying to see what was happening in the distance. He then turned to a soldier that was holding a spear with a look of authority.

"Escort me to the front gate at once," Suguru commanded.

"Yes, my lord," the soldier bowed.

Suguru and the soldier walked towards the front gate. Upon their arrival, the middle aged lord cleared his throat, gaining the attention of his people. They backed away, creating a path to the source of interest. The feudal lord's eyes settled upon the woman that stood in the middle. She was wearing nothing but a simple, white kimono and had a red haori tied around her shoulder with a tiny mass nestled and buried in the garment. Behind the woman was a cart, which the villagers glared into with great displeasure and disgust. The woman herself had long black hair and her head bowed towards the ground as she held the mass in the haori close to her bosom.

The wind swept past the woman and the feudal lord, carrying orange, red, and brown leaves with it.

"Daughter?" Suguru asked as he pinched himself in the wrist.

"Yes, it is I, Izayoi, father," the woman said.

The feudal lord slowly approached his daughter in a daze. Once he was half-an-arm's length away, he cupped Izayoi's cheek with his wrinkling hands. A few seconds later, he scooped her up into a large embrace.

"Izayoi," Suguru began softly. "Last we saw you it was during the first month of spring. You vanished one night. Please tell me, where were you? What happened to my little girl?"

"Father, I do not regret what has happened," Izayoi said. "Before that night, I met a wonderful man, a wandering general to be exact, during the demon attack upon the village that took place two years ago. He saved my life and I wished to ask him about how I should repay him."

Suguru pursed his lips as held a focused look upon his eyebrows. He nodded and asked, "What did he ask of you?"

"Nothing," Izayoi replied. "However, we did not cease seeing each other. We eventually arranged to meet each other at the earliest part of the hour of the horse when no one was awake nor on watch. Before long, we fell in love and married in secret. We were without thinking one night, and at the time I could not bear to show my face to you."

Suguru knew what his daughter meant. He said, "Then, I presume that what you carry in your arms is the child you bore, am I correct?"

Izayoi nodded with a sad smile. Suguru smiled a bit, happy for his daughter. While it was not the arranged marriage that he had hoped to one day give his daughter, he was relieved to know that his daughter's mystery suitor was of high ranking blood. A general was a nice fit for his daughter.

"That's no babe she holds! It's a demon!" a rather vicious mother cried out as she held her own son back protectively, gaining Suguru's attention. "Look in the haori she holds, my lord! You will find proof of that!"

"It belongs to the demon in the cart, I tell you!" a nondescript villager angrily crowed from the back end of the cart. "Their hair is identical!"

Suguru frowned and slowly moved his hand towards the Robe of the Fire Rat. Izayoi made no effort to move away or prevent her father from looking at what was inside the fabric. The middle-aged feudal lord pulled the haori open and what he had feared, thanks to the villagers' outbursts, was true. There was indeed a tiny, sleeping demon being cradled in Izayoi's arms. It was barely two days old and it already had more hair on its head than a typical, human newborn had. Its mouth was slightly open, showing nothing but gums. The tips of the tiny fingers had soft, flimsy claw-esque fingernails that had yet to fully harden into what would presumably be its most dangerous weapon. The most striking and tell-tale signs that the child was indeed a demon were the bright, silver hair and furry dog ears that adorned the top of its head rather than human ears.

Suguru's eyes widened as the demon yawned, signalling that it was peacefully sleeping despite the ruckus. This time Suguru's eyes were not widening with awe. It was with horror that his eyes grew in size from. Suguru, after his eyes narrowed, faced his daughter and said, "Izayoi, to my castle right now." Suguru then turned to the soldier that was behind him, "I want you to keep an eye on that demon in the cart. Alert me of any sudden changes with it."

"Yes, my lord," the soldier complied and looked towards the villagers and said, "Scatter. There's nothing more of interest here."

With that, the nosey villagers went back to their daily routines. As Izayoi and her father walked towards the castle, villagers every now and then would leer at the princess and her precious Inuyasha. The more bold villagers spat on the path in front of Izayoi with contempt. Izayoi paid little attention to them, her focus was on her child. The peaceful look on his face told her that he was dreaming without a care in the world. It was a relieving thought that lifted a bit of the weight that was saddled upon her.

Once Izayoi, with her newborn son, and Suguru were inside the castle, Suguru gave a stern look towards his daughter. His fists were clenched and his jaw muscles locked with frustration.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Suguru shouted as his whole body vibrated. "You have me worried to death about your wellbeing while you whored yourself to a demon! A dog demon, the most dangerous kind, no less! You also courted it when no one was looking! How could you?! My own daughter!"

"If it were not for him, I would not be alive today," Izayoi said firmly as she briefly closed her eyes. "We did not plan for any of this to happen, but as I have said, I do not regret any of the decisions that I have made since then."

"Why did you come back?" Suguru asked, clearly pained by the words that Izayoi had said, "You surely know what the risks of coming back would be."

"Takemaru of Setsuna and his men had raided the abandoned castle that Toga, my beloved husband, and I were going to use to raise our son, Inuyasha, in," Izayoi said. "Takemaru took me as his trophy, mistaking me for a damsel in distress and unaware that I was a happy, expecting mother. It was until I was getting closer to being due when he realized I was pregnant and the week I was due when he figured out who the father was. What I am saying is, we need a place to stay so that we can raise our child in peace. Please father, I beg that you help us!"

Suguru's face found itself within the palms of his hands. Soft, barely audible sobs were choked out by the feudal lord. His heart was at war as the love for his daughter fought with everything he knew about demons. He collapsed to his knees and wrapped himself in his arms.

"Why do you torture me like this, Izayoi?" Suguru asked, facing the ground and shaking his head to side to side. "Where have I gone wrong?"

Izayoi kneeled before her father and grasped his right hand with her own. She said, "You have done nothing wrong, father. No one has."

Several minutes went by without any words. Izayoi stayed by her father's side to comfort him. Suguru did not have the heart to push away his own daughter despite what she had done behind his back. He still loved Izayoi dearly, he always would. However, this turn of events had done nothing but tear him apart and torment his heart and soul so far.

"I do not know what to do," Suguru stated. "I do not wish to cast you out after fearing for nine months that you have died. I would never be able to live with myself if you were to truly die."

"Then let us stay here, please," Izayoi pleaded.

"There would be madness if I were to," Suguru countered sadly. "The actions from the villagers that you saw today was only a minor reaction. They would likely kill you as well if you were to stay here with those abominations. I do not care for the demons that you claim to be family, but you, I do care for deeply."

Izayoi looked down at Inuyasha with an even sadder look than the one she had before. She brought him close and embraced him in a protective hug. Tears escaped Izayoi's eyes as she bit her lip. Her heart broke at hearing her father denounce her husband, her child, and herself to a degree while claiming to care about her. She tore her hand away from her father and got up.

As Izayoi walked away, Suguru got to his feet and cried out, "Wait! Do not leave!"

Izayoi turned around, her tear-stained eyes bore deep into her father's eyes. She asked, "Why not? I am clearly not welcomed here, by my own father no less."

"That is not what I meant, Izayoi!" Suguru replied. "I fear for you! You are playing a dangerous game and I do not wish to see you get hurt! I only want what is best for you!"

"What is best for me has already been given to me," Izayoi said pointedly. "If you truly cared, you would understand that I am already happy."

"You are still naive, my dear daughter. You have no idea how you will be treated this day forth by all who know that you bore a demon's child," Suguru said, hanging his head with grief. "I would never wish the horrors that will come upon you to happen. You maybe happy, but I will not be until I know you are safe."

"As long as Toga is alive, I am safe," Izayoi pointed out. "He protected me several times before. He will do so again and again until the end of time."

A long moment went by with Suguru and Izayoi looking at each other, their unwavering wills clashing in silence. The air was tense with emotion and charged with opposing opinions. A tear slipped from Suguru's left eye as both his eyes slowly and lightly closed shut. The edges of his lips were pointed downwards. The downwards tilt of his head made the sorrowed look that was etched into his face become slightly exaggerated.

"Alright, the demons can stay if it is what it takes to have you back, my precious daughter," Suguru said sadly. "But you and the demons will have to stay in the western wing of the castle. However, please spare me from anymore heartache and worry. I do not think I can take another scare of the same magnitude as this one."

Izayoi, while not entirely thrilled by her father refusing to accept her choices, was glad to know her tiny son would be raised with some stability. Inuyasha would have a mother and a father who would love him during every moment of his days, even when the three of them were separated in any sense of the word. Best of all, Inuyasha would get to have friends to play with. It all made her just a bit more happy with the arrangement given to her.

"I will have your _husband_ brought to the western wing momentarily. After he awakes, I would like to personally speak to him and arrange the terms in which he will stay here under," Suguru continued as he wiped a tear from his left eye. "I pray that you know what you have gotten yourself into and what the consequences will be. I may not deliver them, but others will on their own behalf. For your sake and my own, be vigilant and strong."

With that, Suguru left the room, heading towards the eastern wing as all but silence and the sound of bare feet moving across the wooden floors played in the background. Izayoi frowned a bit at her father's final words. She had no clue as to what her father had meant by consequences entirely, especially the part about them not being dealt by him. Little did she know, it was a mystery that would hurt more than anything that her father had done so far.


	2. Chapter 2: Toga and His Father-in-Law

Days later, Toga, who was now awake and making a decent recovery, was holding his infant son as he sat in the corner of an empty room in the western wing of the castle. The look on Toga's face was one of wonder and awe as Inuyasha squirmed about in his father's arms, restless and trying to move his limbs. Toga's son was eager to begin things much older infants could do, such as lift his head up. Sadly, his brand new muscles and ligaments did not have the strength to do so.

"So this is what it is like to be a father to a human's son…" Toga whispered under his breath with a tiny smile.

Already a few days had passed since the small family's arrival at Izayoi's old home and Inuyasha had already mastered the pouty lip, which he was making right now. The tiny, silver haired baby was clearly frustrated with his inability to move around and began to whimper in protest. Toga lightly bounced Inuyasha in his arms a bit, making an effort in keeping him as happy as possible.

"Easy there, young one," Toga said softly into his son's ears. "You're not old enough to be doing much yet. No need to be fussy about it."

Just as Toga expected, considering that he was this baby's father, Inuyasha did not cease his fussing. The babe's whimpering turned into whining as every clumsy movement failed to yield what the infant wanted, which Toga did not know. Despite already fathering one child already, Toga still lacked quite a bit of knowledge when it came to infants. Human babies, much less baby half demons, were, in their own ways, very different from the babes of full-blooded dog demons. The biggest difference that Toga noticed was the lack of strength when it came to moving around. While Sesshomaru was much more of a quiet yet demanding baby, he was already swatting away anything and everything that was remotely offensive in his own opinion with deadly precision by the first month.

As Toga continued to lightly cradle his infant son, a small prick made itself known on his neck. Suspecting who was responsible, Toga sighed as he extracted the one responsible with his index finger and thumb. The middle-aged dog demon turned over his hand and allowed for the pest, Myoga, to stand up in the middle of the palm of his hand.

"Master, you're alive!" Myoga exclaimed. "I did not doubt your ability to survive with those extensive wounds for a second! GAK!"

The pest found himself being squeezed in center of Toga's hand as soon as those words left his mouth. Toga had an irritated look on his face as he held his enclosed fist close to his face.

"I would advise you to take care with what you say next," Toga warned. "You and I both know that you run away from danger that poses a risk to one's life. You would have stayed by my side _the entire time_ if you had no doubt about my survival."

"Sorry, master…" Myoga wheezed as Toga loosened his grip back into a flat palm. "But either way, Totosai, Saya, and I did exactly what you said in regards of Tensaiga and Sounga! We would have prepared the black pearl for hiding Tessaiga away, however the three of us could not find the sword anywhere at or near the battle ground. I assume that the worst may have come in those regards."

"You three could not find it was because I still have it," Toga said as he looked to his own side, using a glance to show Myoga where Tessaiga was resting. This quelled any anxiety that Myoga had about the "missing Tessaiga." Toga continued, "Regardless, I can at least count on you three to fulfill my will."

"So, since you are alive, what should we do about Tessaiga?" Myoga asked. "You can't just keep it on your person when you are still regaining your strength. It will be any day now that Sesshomaru obtains Tensaiga and becomes embroiled in fury over it! There is no doubt that he will eventually find out you're alive and still have the Tessaiga at this rate! I would hate to see just how this will all play out if you are not back at full strength by the time he finds you!"

"If you are suggesting that I leave it with Totosai, forget it," Toga sighed. "His memory has been getting worse by the day. On top of that, he does not have what it takes to keep my eldest at bay."

Myoga pondered for a moment. When he had an idea, he let out a gasp and began bouncing around the palm of Toga's hand, "I've got it! What if we modified the black pearl? That way Inuyasha can still guard it until he is ready just like intended! Only instead of creating a portal to the Netherworld, the black pearl stores the sword away in a sort of limbo, only to release it when he needs it most or is absolutely ready for it! Whichever one comes first!"

Toga let a ghost of a smile grace his lips and said, "That could work. However, we will need to talk to Hosenki about the change in plan. He is the one who created the black pearl and embedded the spell that would take him to the Netherworld inside it. If anyone can modify the black pearl, it would be him."

"Should we go see him this instance?" Myoga asked.

Toga shook his head, "Not at this time. Not only am I still recovering as you pointed out, but the humans of this village have my hands tied."

"You're kidding, right master?" Myoga asked, sweat dropping at the response he received.

"I am afraid not," Toga said with an annoyed cringe, thinking back to what his human father-in-law had told him.

'_Damn that bastard… He is lucky I do not engage in senselessly killing humans who are THAT arrogant without a good cause._'

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_Flashback…_

Toga bowed his head before Izayoi's father out of respect as he entered the room that Suguru was waiting in. Suguru looked up with distaste and contempt in his eyes, but Toga paid no mind to it. There was nothing thus far for the long-lived dog demon general to be worked up over… Yet.

"You wished to see me?" Toga asked.

"You could say that," Suguru responded with little enthusiasm. "My Izayoi told me that you two have been wed and she wishes for you and your _son_ to stay here with her. Tell me, did you have any say in this idea?"

"No, I have not," Toga replied. "I was too badly injured from battle to be able to have any say."

"Do you think you, Izayoi, and that… _son_ of yours should live here?"

"If it is what Izayoi wishes for our son, then yes."

"I see," Suguru mussed. "If you want my full cooperation in giving your _family_ as much support I am obligated to give you, I want something from you."

Toga narrowed his eyes, "I am listening."

"I want you to serve me as your lord in my army," Suguru said. "If you can adequately serve me, then I will know I can trust you. If not, there will be consequences."

"You will not lay a hand on Inuyasha! He's only an infant!" Toga barked with fury on his face.

"I would not harm the… _babe_. It would hurt Izayoi as much as it pains me to say and I do no wish to see her in anymore agony than what she has already been in. What I meant was that you three would be expelled from this village and the surrounding villages within two day's walk. While that is also something I would rather not do for it tampers with Izayoi's own safety, it is much more merciful for her than any of the other alternatives I would rather do."

A moment of silence passed. Toga and his narrowed, dominating eyes were focused in on Suguru's firm, unyielding eyes. Neither man yielded to the other during this time of silent debate.

At the same time, Toga could not help but think of what could happen if Izayoi's hard work to secure a potential home went to ruin. Toga had a feeling it was not easier than what was going on now. Then there was the fact that by growing up in a village, Inuyasha would likely have a chance to properly socialize with others, something that Sesshomaru horribly lacked when he was growing up. If anything, the middle-aged dog demon saw this as probably one of the few chances he would get to raise Inuyasha correctly. He had failed with Sesshomaru, he was not going to fail with Inuyasha.

"So long as I can raise my son alongside my wife and protect them," Toga began with a grumbling tone, continuing to stare down Suguru with determination. "I will be _honored_ to be your general. But if one hair on either Izayoi or Inuyasha is to be harmed, I will not hesitate to draw first blood. I do not do this for you, I do this for _my_ beloved Izayoi and Inuyasha."

Suguru pursed his lips in thought before saying, "Very well. But as soon as you do draw first blood on anyone in this village, regardless if it is I or a lowly villager, you and your son will be nothing more than another pair of demons for exorcists, monks, priests, and slayers to dispose of, no matter what my daughter thinks of you two. Is that clear?"

"Yes, _my lord_," Toga responded less than half-heartedly as he stood up to his full height, towering over Suguru with his slender, yet powerful posture.

"Father?" Izayoi asked as she made herself known, her eyes wide with shock and tears threatening to come out.

_End of flashback..._

* * *

"I guess it could not be helped, master," Myoga sighed, shaking his head. "Is Izayoi aware of any of this?"

Toga nodded, "Yes. She heard everything. She did not expect her father to behave the way he did, but it is too late to change anything now. Until Inuyasha is old enough, we are stuck here. The only benefit that we may get from all of this is a stable life for our little boy, and that is all that matters to us. I am willing to do what it takes to ensure Inuyasha is raised better than how I raised Sesshomaru with Rikka. This agreement is only a means to that end."

"That is very noble of you, master," Myoga commended. "If we're lucky Lord Suguru won't send you on pointless skirmishes. Not only is that very insulting, but it takes away time that you need to be using to bond with your son at a time where he needs both you and Izayoi most. In the meantime, I should probably rest before heading back to Totosai to explain the situation and see if he can come and help us get Hosenki's assistance. I think arthritis is starting to settle in for me."

Toga silently agreed as he set Myoga down on his shoulder. With his hand freed, Toga began stroking Inuyasha's fluffy hair tenderly. Everything was going to be fine for as long as Toga had any say in any of the matters that came forward.

In the end, Izayoi and their son meant everything to Toga. He would die fifty times over if it meant keeping his wife and child safe and well.


	3. Chapter 3: The Black Pearl on the Right

**Binas**: 3/17/2019 Revision: I had to make a small time adjustment.

* * *

It was about a week later at nightfall when Myoga returned to Toga with Totosai in tow, which meant thundering into the middle of the garden that Toga occupied on Momo the three-eyed demon bovine. The sound from the grand entrance reverberated off the outer walls of the buildings and the trees.

"Sssh! Be quiet!" Toga whispered with urgency. "Everyone is asleep! If we wake anyone up there will be trouble!"

"Sorry about that," Totosai apologized as he dismounted from Momo and walked up to the infamous dog demon general.

Instead of the preferred bow, Totosai, out of nowhere, slapped Toga across the face with his extremely long tongue. Toga gave a slight uncomfortable look towards Totosai and said, "I would appreciate it if you did not lick me like that."

"What?" Totosai asked, confusion dawning his face. "I didn't lick you. Why would I anyways?"

Toga sighed and shook his head. He was uncertain if Totosai was playing senile or if he was actually entering the second childhood known as old age. Regardless, there was a task that was needed to be done and it had to be done quickly.

The middle-aged dog demon handed Tessaiga and the Black Pearl to Totosai and said, "Get these to Hosenki and quickly. The less that Sesshomaru knows about this, the better. And Myoga, I trust you to make sure the intended message is received."

"Yes, my lord," Myoga said.

"Hey, don't sell me short just yet, you old dog!" Totosai retaliated in the best whisper he could manage as he took the Black Pearl and Tessaiga from Toga. "My memory is not that far gone! I assure you that everything will go as intended."

"Then hurry," Toga replied. "Time is not on our side. Not only is every passing second bringing us closer to Sesshomaru coming to claim something that is not his, but my wife's father discovering us. He will surely think very ill of this and punish Izayoi and the babe severely for my disobedience."

Totosai nodded with elderly determination. He climbed upon Momo and said, "I will return the moment the Black Pearl is prepared for the new plan. You take care of yourself. No more battling with fatal wounds like that again for you, mister. You gave us all quite a scare."

Toga gave a small smile in response to Totosai's mock fatherly tone of voice. Before anyone in the area could blink an eye, Momo flew away with Totosai and Myoga on his back. The middle-aged dog demon could count on Myoga and Totosai, regardless of their eccentricities and penchant for fleeing from danger. They had talents that laid in other aspects of their being and great loyalty that Toga greatly appreciated, even in his darkest days. Now if only they could stop teasing the poor magnolia tree demon, Bokuseno.

* * *

It did not take any longer than five days for Totosai to return to Toga with the completed, repurposed Black Pearl. Like the previous meeting, it was nightfall when Totosai presented the mystical gem to his long-time friend.

"Here you go," Totosai said, holding the little black orb known as the Black Pearl before Toga. "It is now ready to be given to Inuyasha for safe keeping."

Totosai carefully placed the Black Pearl into the palm of Toga's right hand. Toga enclosed his hand around it to be sure that it did not get lost anywhere.

"Thank you, Totosai," Toga said as he gave a respectful bow.

"You're welcome, Toga," Totosai said as his hand travelled to his waist. He unhooked a sheathed blade from his obi and handed it to Toga. "And here is a little something I whipped up as quick as I could. I had some spare materials from when you requested that coffin cheater of yours to be made. It is no Tessaiga nor Tensaiga, but it should do the trick in keeping you out of some trouble when it comes to that bratty lord. It should be strong enough to do its job, but not be remarkable enough for Sesshomaru to go after it. The last thing we need is for him to do is find it and lust after it."

Toga nodded with a small, lopsided smile, not needing to say a word to show his gratitude for the look in his eyes did that for him as he humbly took the sword and hooked it to the obi tied around his waist.

"Well, I'd best be off now," Totosai said. "I am long overdue for a bath. Good bye, Toga."

"Bye, Totosai," Toga replied as Totosai mounted his bovine friend and flew away.

Toga from that point entered the castle as quickly and quietly as possible. Once he reached the room that his his wife and child were in, he entered and approached Izayoi and Inuyasha. He kneeled before them and wasted no time in gently inserting the Black Pearl into Inuyasha's right eye with careful precision. During the process, his baby boy looked up at the small sphere with curiosity. He did not even flinch as it merged with the pupil of his right eye. It was relieving to know that Tessaiga was safe just like how he intended.

"What was that, Toga?" Izayoi asked.

"Something that will greatly help Inuyasha when the time comes," Toga said. "It will be known as the Black Pearl on the right. Seen, but never seen; protected, yet never known to its protector."

Izayoi smiled. Even though she had a vague idea of what her husband meant, she could trust him to come up with a suitable way of protecting those that he loved deeply.

Toga watched as Izayoi then proceeded to blow little raspberries onto Inuyasha's bare stomach, making him coo in delight. His youngest making such little sounds was a feat that warmed the demon general's heart and made him smile with not just pride, but love as well.

His little boy was growing fast in comparison to the human whelps that had been born only a month ago, prior to the small family arriving. It had been at least sixteen days since Toga saved his wife and child from Takemaru and his little boy was already making use of the muscles in his neck to increase his visual range.

Toga whistled a couple of notes, causing Inuyasha to twitch his fuzzy little ears, signifying that his curiosity was piqued. Toga smiled when he saw those wide, innocent golden eyes look at him. Unlike a newborn human's crossed and unfocused eyes, Inuyasha's eyes were focused and looking at the source of the whistling.

"Are all demons this responsive at such a young age?" Izayoi asked as she gently rubbed one of her son's ears. "Human infants I have seen can barely move for about three months."

"It depends on the type of demon," Toga replied. "Some are more receptive than others prior to the first month before their growth begins to slow, others remain slow in maturing for their entire lives."

"That is fascinating," Izayoi said with a way smile. "I wonder which route our son will take. Human lives are finite and I wish to see our baby grow into a fine, young man just like his father."

Toga embraced his wife with an arm and said, "I will do everything within my power to ensure that your wish comes true."

Izayoi felt Toga's warm lips and cool, wet nose make contact with her right cheek. The temperature differences made her body shudder, but the kiss was pleasing in spite of that. Izayoi turned her head and faced her husband. Her soft, dark violet eyes bore into the warm, bright golden eyes that Toga possesed. Her painted lips met Toga's unpainted lips and she gave him a loving kiss, leaving behind a bit of her lip paint. When she saw what she left behind, she laughed.

"What is so funny, my dear Izayoi?" Toga asked, raising a confused eyebrow.

"You should paint your lips with mine more often, beloved," Izayoi replied as she pointed to a nearby bucket of water.

Toga walked over to the water bucket and crouched before it. He looked at his rippling reflection and shook his head with humored smile on his face.

"We should try to get some sleep," Toga said as he got up and came back over to Izayoi and kissed her forehead. "Good night, Izayoi."

"Good night, Toga," Izayoi said.

Toga then kneeled down to his son and kissed his forehead and said, "Good night, Inuyasha. Sleep tight, both you."

With that, the small family retired for the rest of the night.


	4. Chapter 4: A Sleepless Night

The fussy cries coming from Inuyasha woke Toga and Izayoi up during the early hours of sunrise the next morning. Izayoi's tiny hand stroked the left side of Inuyasha's tiny face gently. Each stroke through his hair and across his soft skin had little effect on her son's distress. The human princess then proceeded to hum into her son's ears as she continued to stroke her son with delicate grace.

Toga sat up and watched his son with concern as his crying continued. Something was definitely bothering the babe. Toga lightly sniffed the air around Inuyasha and grimaced at the offensive odor. He pulled back as far as he could go and pinched his nose. Upon his face was a look of disgust and a tinge of green upon his cheeks.

"Is something wrong with him, Toga?" Izayoi asked.

"He soiled himself," Toga replied. "I believe it is your turn to change his diaper…"

* * *

The diaper change only helped a little bit in regards to Inuyasha's mood. The young couple tried everything that they could think of to cheer him up, but nothing worked.

Milk did little to reduce Inuyasha's irritability. Granted, he was indeed hungry, but it was not hunger that was causing him make such a fuss. The few short moments of him drinking milk was the only length of time of quiet so far as the day passed on.

Blowing raspberries upon his bare stomach made him cry out even more. Izayoi was saddened to see that Inuyasha's favorite pastime fail so badly. She felt more worried about his well being as this small activity always filled him with so much mirth, even though he struggled to show it due to his age.

After the afternoon meal, Toga tried his hand at cheering Inuyasha up by tickling his toes. In theory, it would work as feet were a sensitive part of a baby's body. However, all that tickling Inuyasha's toes did was earn Toga feeble kick to his hand.

Not wishing to give up, Toga's clawed fingers had lunged forward again, lightly scratching the soles of his baby's feet. Hoping for more of an impact, Toga cooed and made a few funny faces within Inuyasha's line of sight. Inuyasha wailed even harder and let out a fury of kicks, most missing but a two of them landed their hits on Toga's hand.

Toga sighed as he retracted his hand after being kicked for the third kick overall landed and said, "Our boy has a good pair of lungs for sure."

Izayoi, who was holding Inuyasha, placed the back of her hand against their son's forehead for a few moments before saying, "He does not seem to have a fever. I wonder what is causing him so much distress. He has not been this way since you were injured."

Toga pondered long and hard. His eyes shut lightly as he thought. There had to be a reason for Inuyasha's sudden degradation in mood. The baby's needs for a clean diaper, affection, and food had been fulfilled.

'_Perhaps he senses something nearby?_' Toga mused in his mind.

With that in mind, Toga focused on every bit of sensory input all around him. The two senses he relied upon most, smell and hearing, were fully attuned to his surroundings for kilometers upon kilometers around. The scents of the hundreds of humans, flora, and fauna filled his very sensitive nose. The sounds of every movement that transpired under the roof of the castle that he and his family inhabited trickled into his highly acute ears. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

That was until Suguru opened the shoji door of the room with an exhausted, irate look painted on his face.

"Can you two not keep that thing quiet?" Suguru asked.

"Father, we are trying to calm Inuyasha, but we cannot figure out what ails him," Izayoi said, her eyes firm and uncharacteristically cold towards the man who raised her.

Suguru sighed as he hung his head with exasperation and said, "Have you tried placing a rag in his mouth?"

Izayoi frowned at that suggestion and said with an offended tone, "I will not gag my son!"

"That is not what I meant," Suguru facepalmed. "That _son_ of yours is supposed to suck on the rag. It always calmed you down when you were small, Izayoi, even before you began teething."

Izayoi felt her cheeks heat up as they turned a vibrant pink. She turned to Toga and asked, "Do we have any clean rags in here?"

"I think so," Toga replied.

As Toga began searching the room for a clean rag, Suguru left the room and shut the door behind him. It did not take long for Toga to find a clean rag for Inuyasha to suck on.

Toga kneeled next to Izayoi and Inuyasha and gently poked Inuyasha's lips with the rag. Eventually, the tip of the rag went into Inuyasha's mouth and he began to suckle on it. Toga and Izayoi both smiled in relief, glad that Suguru's input was working.

It was only about an hour later when sunset had neared its end. Inuyasha had ceased his suckling, causing the rag to fall out of his mouth. Instead of the fussy cries that he gave earlier, he let out full blown wails as he kicked and struggled in his mother's arms.

Izayoi quickly brought Inuyasha close and began patting his back and murmuring into his ears. Toga quickly dove for the rag and tried reintroducing it into Inuyasha's mouth. Unlike before, Inuyasha refused the rag. He instead buried his face into the crook of Izayoi's neck and continued to scream and cry.

As soon as the sun disappeared over the horizon, Toga sensed something change within his son. He sensed the demonic energy that his son possess fade away. It was then that Toga realized exactly what was going on. Inuyasha was experiencing one of two half demon phenomenons that Toga had heard about but had never properly witnessed.

Izayoi gasped as the brilliant silver hair that covered Inuyasha's head deepen into a pitch black like her own. His little, adorable dog ears vanished from right under her finger tips, causing her hands to fall onto her baby's head. From there, little by little, Inuyasha's frantic movements slowed and he became less mobile as his muscles weakened. His head fell limp against Izayoi's shoulder, which sent pangs of fear throughout her heart. The only thing that could reassure Izayoi that her son was remotely okay was the continued crying that erupted from Inuyasha's mouth.

"Toga, what happened to him?" Izayoi asked. "He looks almost-"

"Like you," Toga completed. He smiled, which confused Izayoi, so he continued "I had a feeling this would eventually happen, I just did not know when."

"What do you mean?" Izayoi pressed further.

"What happened is that tonight is apparently his human night. From what I heard, all half demons go through it every month, and the only differences between them is when it occurs each month. In our son's case, it is the new moon," Toga explained. "Our child must have sensed it was coming all day and was trying to warn us. Right now he is scared and has no idea what is going on."

Izayoi turned her attention to her crying infant and held him even closer. Tears threatened to emerge from her eyes as she felt a wave of guilt. She was Inuyasha's mother and she was supposed to know what her child wanted and what was wrong when he became panicked or irritable.

"Why did you not tell me sooner?" Izayoi asked softly.

"I was not sure if it were true or not," Toga admitted sheepishly. "I have heard many absurd things about other types of demons and humans alike that turned out to be false. My mother once tried convincing me that humans ate their offspring if they proved to be too weak. When I asked a human about that, I quickly learned that was most certainly not the case. I would show you the scars to prove it, but they have long since healed."

Izayoi gave a look that was mixed with horror and inappropriate amusement. She had no idea how to react to such a claim that was provided as an example. It was an outlandish and barbaric rumor, but yet for someone to believe that humans ate their weakest was beyond absurd. All she could do was let out a single chuckle out of disbelief.

So, for the rest of the night, Toga and Izayoi remained awake in their part of the castle, comforting their little baby Inuyasha to the best of their ability. It was an unspoken truth that no one, not even Suguru, would be getting any sleep that night.


	5. Chapter 5: To War

It had been three years since Toga woke up in Izayoi's hometown. Three years since Suguru had wrapped Toga around his finger. And now, Toga was sitting in a war meeting with the samurai that made up Suguru's small army. Aside from Toga, only ten men made up the force that would be let loose onto the battlefield.

Toga was grateful Suguru waited at least this long before he made him get ready for battle. He had yet to know if Izayoi had pleaded with Suguru for this outcome or if Suguru had some common sense when it came to threatening a demon with said demon's son's safety by throwing him and his family out into the wilderness.

Regardless, Toga loathed that he was Suguru's war puppet. He had no desire to shed blood in senseless conquest. The powerful demon's claws dug into the palms of his own hands, drawing some blood as he gritted his teeth at that thought. The only thing keeping him from throwing Suguru off the roof of the castle was Izayoi and Inuyasha's continued safety.

In front of the army of ten men and a lone demon, was Suguru. His eyes narrowed at Toga. However, unlike Suguru, the ten samurai were all visibly pissed that Toga was in the room as they were.

"Who let the bitch's demonic lover in here?" one samurai asked.

"This is no place for a demon!"

"My lord, may we execute this demon for intruding?"

"Silence!" Suguru snapped, quieting the room in an instant. "This demon, as much it pains me to say, is off limits. You may not kill it as it is a general in my army."

Shouts and cries of "Booo!" echoed throughout the room that the war meeting was taking place in. Suguru clicked his tongue and shook his head. This was not what he had in mind when he organized this war meeting. Then again, it could not be helped as Toga had to be present.

Toga on the other hand, snorted as he glared at no one in particular. Everyone in the war meeting was testing with his patience, especially Suguru.

'_Pompous human..._' Toga thought.

"Silence!" Suguru shouted, once more creating toxic and strained peace in the room. "Now, we have important matters to address. The ruling family in Kamakura has recently called upon us to go put down a small uprising in a nearby castle town. We are directed to use any means necessary to ensure they do not further destabilize the area."

'_Just what I thought… This is another petty power struggle..._' Toga mentally growled. '_If I had a choice in the matter, I would refuse to take part in this. I only fight to protect those precious in my life, not to ensure that a self-entitled shikken, who bathes himself in blood when there is confusion, remains in power._'

"During this campaign, the demon will be leading you," Suguru said, sounding as if he bit into a sour peach and causing outcries of protest in the process. "I expect this campaign to be fulfilled, regardless of the costs," Suguru then sent a pointed glare at Toga specifically. "There is no backing out of it under ANY circumstances. You all will bring the rebellion to its knees through any means necessary. That includes slaughtering the entire castle town down to the very last infant."

'_Shut your mouth_,' Toga thought as an actual, small growl threatened to erupt from his throat. '_If you think I enjoy killing humans, especially innocent babes, you are sorely mistaken, you bastard_.'

"Now, men and demon," Suguru said loud and firmly. "Go say your goodbyes and move out."

* * *

Toga embraced his wife and son near the village gates as the sun began to set. In the background, the human samurai were being bid farewell by their sisters, brothers, parents, grandparents, and friends.

"Be safe Toga," Izayoi said as she planted a kiss on his right cheek, on top of the purplish streak. "Return to us in one piece."

"I do not plan on dying this soon, my beloved Izayoi," Toga replied. "Not after all that has happened."

"Papa go now?" the small voice of Inuyasha asked as his thumb found its way into his mouth.

"Yes, Papa has to go," Toga said as he rubbed his son's right ear gently.

"Stay with us, Papa," Inuyasha protested with a pouty lip.

"I wish that I could, my boy. I wish I could," Toga said with a quiet voice, his heart aching from the sight of his son's upset facial expression. "Papa needs to go to make sure that you and your Mama are safe. I promise to return to you. Who knows? I may bring you both something special."

"Sp-eh-shaw?" Inuyasha tried to replicate.

"Good try, Inuyasha," Toga chuckled as he ruffled his son's hair with a clawed hand. "But yes, I will get something special for the both of you. If I am going to, I have to leave for awhile, understand?"

Inuyasha nodded and said, "Yes, Papa."

"Good, now, be a big boy and take good care of yourself and your mother."

Inuyasha beamed with confidence as he then nodded with determination. "I be like Papa!" Inuyasha proclaimed. "Keeping Mama safe!"

Toga could not be any prouder than he was to hear those words. So far, he had not failed with Inuyasha like he had with Sesshomaru. In the latter's case, he could only hope Tensaiga could rectify the mistakes he had made with his eldest son. In Inuyasha's case, the boy was on the road to learning everything that Toga had failed and struggled to teach Sesshomaru. Toga was very thankful that Inuyasha was receptive towards what he was learning and had Izayoi to help out.

"I love you, Inuyasha," Toga said and took him from Izayoi to give him a hug. The three-year-old's tiny arms wrapped around his father as he buried his face into his father's neck.

"I love you, too," Inuyasha said, his voice muffled by the clothing that Toga wore.

Toga returned Inuyasha to Izayoi's arms and gave her a kiss on her lips. He then ruffled his son's hair one last time before walking towards the gates of Kokama. The middle-aged dog demon looked back at the family he was leaving behind one last time, flashing a sad smile towards them.

'_I will be back soon_,' Toga thought. '_I promise you that._'

"Hurry up, demon trash!" a samurai shouted. "We don't wait for the likes of you!"

Toga looked forward once more and sighed with a grimace. He could already tell this was going to be a long and unpleasant trip, and it was not because of how the war meeting went nor was it the fact he was being forced to preserve the rule of the current shikken. These samurai were going to kill every last shred of his patience. Toga prayed that the higher powers would have mercy on these samurai for he knew that he himself was not going to be very merciful when they inevitably push him over the edge.


End file.
